Meditation And Yoga Blog

3 meditating women animation
Mindfulness & Meditation

7 Common Myths About Meditation Debunked

Many people are put off by the idea of meditation, even though they know it’s good for them. Here I’m going to debunk these common myths about meditation, and convince the haters to give it a go.

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Living Yoga 108 Philosophy Cards
Mindfulness & Meditation

Living Yoga 108 Philosophy Cards

There are 108 cards with quotes from the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras and more, with interpretations, contemplations or meditations on the  other side, to help bring the philosophy of yoga into your daily life. Almost 4000 years of wisdom from Yoga’s major texts, split into 5 colors, and making its philosophy more relatable.

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WARNING
Teaching Yoga

WARNING on Kids Yoga Training Courses

Looking to take a kids yoga teacher training course?  Then make sure you READ this first! There are yoga schools that will tell you that it is not necessary to do the RCYT course if you want to teach yoga to children.

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jala neti pot
Daily Life

The Dangers Of Using A Neti Pot

This week an article caught my eye on how 3 people have died from using a neti pot incorrectly.  In the UK neti pots are prescribed by the NHS for blocked or runny noses.  In the US however, 3 people have contracted a rare condition called amoebic meningitis. Therefore it is important to use your neti pot correctly and with caution. 

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Teaching Yoga

How To Give A Mummy And Baby Yoga Class

Teaching a Mummy & Baby Yoga class is a joy for a yoga teacher, but more importantly for the mum and baby.  It’s a wonderful activity for them to do together and a lovely opportunity for them to bond in a different environment. 

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meditation
Mindfulness & Meditation

The Simple Art of Thinking and Meditating

In meditation you’re told to observe your thoughts, detach from them, and bring your awareness back to your point of focus in the present moment. So let’s break this down and have a look at how to make your thoughts work for you.

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Daily Life

The Downside to Wearing a FitBit

We’re all guilty of this.  It’s 23:47, you’ve brushed your teeth and are getting into bed.  Then you check your FitBit or other wrist exercise tracker.  You’ve set your daily goal to reach 10,000 steps and you’ve only done 9300.  So instead of preparing for sleep, you start frantically jogging on the spot before midnight hits.

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kids yoga charlie
Teaching Yoga

Yoga For Kids As Young As 2 yrs – Why and How To?

I’ve often asked the kids I teach yoga to if they think they can go the whole yoga class without eating? ‘Yeah of course I could!’ they all brag. ‘Do you reckon you could manage going the whole yoga class without taking a single sip of water?’. ‘Yes!’. ‘OK well do you think you could do the whole yoga class without taking a breath?’. Silence. Every time.

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mindfulness challenge
Daily Life

#mindfulforme 1 Week MINDFULNESS CHALLENGE

Do you need more calm, focus and balance in your life? Mindfulness practice is scientifically proven to help bring you all 3, and many more physical and mental health benefits. Today I’m starting the 1 week #mindfulforme Challenge, and I hope you’ll join me in creating more positive daily habits.

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agnisar
Daily Life

Agni Sara for Better Bowel Movement

Yes us British are known for our toilet humour, but I’m genuinely hoping this post may help those with constipation and general digestion issues.
In India 18 years ago, I was introduced to the practice of Agni Sara by a yoga guru. I was no longer just attending 1 yoga class a week, but had started to develop my own daily personal practice. With regular breathing exercises, twist poses, forward bends and Agni Sara, my previous digestive issues disappeared and since I’ve had a regular, healthy and happy gut!

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moving meditation
Mindfulness & Meditation

An Easy 10-Step Moving Meditation

This moving meditation is my basic variation of the classical yoga Sun Salutation flow. It is suitable for 5yrs+ and for even the stiffest of practitioners with a few easy modifications (see ‘How To’ and videos below). It heats up the body, strengthens the heart and lungs and all the major muscle groups from head to toe. It is a cardiovascular exercise that will stretch and tone muscle, and burn fat. However there are a few things to remember to make this a moving meditation and not just another exercise

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buddha board meditation
Mindfulness & Meditation

Meditating on Fading Art: How To Use a Buddha Board

Searching online for some different mindfulness or meditation tools I could use with my clients with ADHD, Autism and special needs, I ended up coming across something that is now one of my own TOP 3 meditation techniques (watch the VIDEO of me using it below, but excuse my rubbish art!)
For €30.00 on Amazon I discovered the Buddha Board, where whatever you paint on it with water, slowly fades away and can be endlessly re-used.

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lady pouring water in a towel
Daily Life

Neti Kriya Video: How To Use a Neti Pot To Naturally Cleanse Your Nose

Especially good for those with sinus issues, Jala Neti Kriya is a natural and pure way to clean the nasal passage. An ancient Ayurvedic tradition, the word ‘kriya’ refers to a cleansing process usually practiced in the morning. ‘Jala’ means ‘water’ in Hindi, and ‘neti’ is the pot which is used to perform this kriya.

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Yoga
Teaching Yoga

Making Yoga Classes more Beneficial and Appealing to Men

..what struck me was two things as I observed the class. Is this really the way to do arm balances and strength work in yoga, and does this appeal to men? When I went into a couple of fantastic classes last year in the Los Angeles area, I realised that yoga is essentially or has become sexist…

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banana and cinnamon muffins
Daily Life

Banana, Maple & Cinnamon Muffins – gluten & dairy free

If you’re looking for a grain and dairy free banana muffin with a twist, then these are for you! I make a lot of banana bread and muffins so I wanted to try something a little different. I’ve made these with a cream cheese and honey center but I wanted to try something different for those that don’t do dairy at all. And these were a huge success!

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strawberry foam
Daily Life

Strawberry & Basil Foam Recipe

For those who have been waiting for this recipe since my Instagram photo, here it is! You will need a good blender that can handle frozen fruit, but besides that it takes 7 minutes and tastes delicious! Great as a gluten and dairy free dessert or snack

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Food
Daily Life

Healthy + Easy Cottage Cheese Salad

There are plenty of other veggies or fruit you can add to this recipe, even herbs or spices. But this is my favourite go-to recipe and it only takes 5 minutes to wack up. It’s ridiculously SIMPLE!

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Toothpaste and toothbrush
Mindfulness & Meditation

The Easiest Way To Practice Mindfulness

There are things you do every day that become part of your weekly routine. Neurologically these everyday tasks become short linked so that you’re not wasting unnecessary time and brain energy. For instance, think back to the first time you were ever taught to brush your teeth or ride a bicycle. If your muscles and brain had to work that hard each time to recall how to perform these actions, you’d only get 4 things done a day! Therefore these daily activities become automatic and we often find that we’re off thinking about other things, or not even paying attention, when driving or washing etc.

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christmas crafts
Daily Life

Mindful Activities: Easy D.I.Y Festive Decorations

Switch off the T.V and put down the electronic devices! These cheap and easy homemade decoration ideas can be quiet mindful exercises for your child to focus on, or bonding time if you want to join in! Have fun making some Christmas decorations this season, but make sure they’re being done with intention and love! Avoid a time with a lot of distractions, except perhaps nice background music, or of course connected conversation between those doing the activities. AND these ideas can also be modified for different celebrations throughout the year!

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Children
Mindfulness & Meditation

Meditate Watching Your Favourite T.V Show

This is a great mindful/meditative exercise to do peacefully alone or with children! There is a misconception that meditation has to be done sitting in a crossed legged position, in silence, while clearing the mind. The purpose of meditation is to still the mind to a point of focus, and keep returning it to that anchor, each time you get distracted. The points of focus are usually your breath, the repetition of a mantra, candle flame, sensations in the body etc. But whatever your anchor to the present moment is, this can be a lot easier said than done.

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charlie meditating by lake

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